If the impasse caused by National Unity Platform (NUP) Deputy Mouthpiece, Waiswa Alex Mufumbiro in trying to show hate for Speaker Anitah Among at the send off of MP Abdul Katuntu’s brother, Waiswa Ramathan wasn’t humiliating for Busoga, then I may not have the right words to describe it.
The diatribe by the maverick opposition man was crafted to appear that Busoga as a sub region in intently United in hate for Annet Among and that those that seem to embrace her should be treated as enemies of the Busoga nation and the Obwakyabazinga bwa Busoga. Whereas we can commend Mufumbiro and his company for their unwavering support for one of their own, we also need to question the rationale of such micro nationalism and how it may impact on the sub region. Also, as we relentlessly push to castigate Among, some focus needs to be directed towards the situation prior to her becoming Speaker.
On that particular note, we ought to recall a long history of Basoga pulling down Basoga in what has over the years come to be termed as “ Pull Him/ Her Down( PHD). In the mid 1960s, the Kigulu area Member of Parliament, Hajji Shaban Nkuutu, its narrated, lobbied for the establishment of a hospital in Busesa as one of the 22 hospitals government was distributing throughout the country. Nkuutu sought land from the leaders of Bugweri after he wanted to have the project put in Buseesa but he was denied because they believed it would politically amplify his standing. In the end, the facility was pushed to Bugiri, in Bukooli where the traditional leadership extended the land. In fact, the present day Bugiri Hospital was first baptized Buseesa Hospital. That’s how this pregnant envy cost the people of Bugweri a hospital. Sixty years later, Bugweri district doesn’t have a hospital, let alone a health centre IV.
These PHDs have manifested in the various wars among the top political leaders over the years. For instance, in Kamuli, these elephant fights have costed Busoga three Minister materials in Moses Kizige, Isaac Isanga Musumba and Hajji Asuman Kiyingi. The belief that we can not have leaders rising alongside others is self defeating. While job downplaying the mega contribution of Rebecca Kadaga to the development of Busoga, we should also imagine how much more we could have had as a sub region had we groomed and supported five leaders of Kadaga’s ranking. Unfortunately, whoever gets appointed Minister is always left with a tall ladder to climb in getting reelected, reason being, it’s only then that you will see our people genuinely United to pull down their own. Dawudi Migereko, Isanga Musumba, Moses Kizige, Asuman Kiyingi, Fred Mukisa, Kirunda Kivejinja, the list is endless.
Whereas, we have for long believed in raising one bull in the kraal, the Westdoesn’t find it offensive to have the President, Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Local Government Minister, International Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Security Minister, all from one region. In Buganda, when Giblert Bukenya was at the Presidency, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi was Speaker, Apollo Nsibambi, Prime Minister, Namirembe Biramazire – education, and there wasn’t any such friction. When President Museveni is receiving delegations from various regions to lobby for their men and women, Basoga are storming State House to seek the Heaf of State to axe their own out. Who bewitched us?
As for me, I believe that this degree of cannibalism has cost us enough that we should now reflect on our inherited idiocy to revamp our country-Busoga. Let’s reflect on the number of leaders we have pulled down, beginning with Kadaga and all that we have lost through this disastrous Vice. We should not allow to be blinded by the perceived war against Speaker Among by those who want us to believe they mean well for Busoga while forgetting that at least 80% of the MPs from Busoga didn’t vote for their own- Kadaga in her 2021 contest with late successor, Jacob Oulanyah.
Those who are being swift in castigating Among as “ not one of us, she is not from Busoga” should be critically watched and their motive thoroughly examined.Without even mentioning the fact that our tradition has it that whoever marries among us becomes one of us, we need to look into the benefits our region get out of the reigning Speaker of Parliament associating with us. For instance, at the send off of MP Katuntu’s brother, Waiswa Ramathan, the Head of the Legislature pledged one hundred million shillings towards the construction of a mosque in the district. On two occasions, when Among visited Bugiri for fundraising, over 100 million was contributed for the various development programs. However much I don’t concur with whoever trolls Kadaga because of her great role in the development of the country, those choosing to demonize her democratically elected successor are equally at fault. We can not afford t turn the holder of Kadaga’s former position an enemy of Busoga. We can not afford to mourn the fall of our mother, Kadaga from the Speakership forever. There is always life after every regime and so should be in this case too. Let’s accept that Kadaga is no longer the Speaker of Parliament and never shall she be again. The efforts we invest in hating others should be directed towards development and reconciliation. And lastly, lets embrace Annet Annita Among as one of our own. Like she has willingly accepted to be the “ mother of Busoga”, why not let her be if it benefits our region?
The Writer is an Aspiring LC5 Chairperson For Bugiri District
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